Brachycome plant named ‘Magenta Magic’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Brachycome  plant named ‘Magenta Magic’, characterized by its compact, low spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dark green-colored stems and leaves; freely flowering habit; large inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; bright purple-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Brachycome angustifolia.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MAGENTA MAGIC’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Brachycome plant, botanically known as Brachycome angustifolia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Magenta Magic’.

The new Brachycome plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Brachycome plants with large inflorescences and strong foliage.

The new Brachycome plant originated from a cross-pollination in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia, of a proprietary selection of Brachycome angustifolia identified as code name OBAP176, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Brachycome angustifolia identified as code name OB04547, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Brachycome plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in July, 2006 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new Brachycome plant by stem cuttings in a controlled environment in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia since September, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Brachycome plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Brachycome have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Magenta Magic’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Magenta Magic’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Brachycome plant:

-   -   1. Compact, low spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored stems and leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large inflorescences positioned above the foliage.     -   6. Bright purple-colored ray florets.     -   7. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Brachycome differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachycome are not as vigorous as plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Brachycome are more mounding than and not         as upright as plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Brachycome and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have bright pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Brachycome differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachycome are more vigorous than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Brachycome are taller than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Brachycome have larger inflorescences than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Brachycome and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have darker purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Brachycome can also be compared to plants of the Brachycome angustifolia ‘Billabong Mardi Gras’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia, plants of the new Brachycome differed from plants of ‘Billabong Mardi Gras’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Brachycome were taller and more mounding         than plants of ‘Billabong Mardi Gras’.     -   2. Plants of the new Brachycome were more vigorous than plants         of ‘Billabong Mardi Gras’.     -   3. Plants of the new Brachycome were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Billabong Mardi Gras’.     -   4. Plants of the new Brachycome had larger and taller         inflorescences than plants of ‘Billabong Mardi Gras’.     -   5. Ray florets of plants of the new Brachycome were darker         purple in color than ray florets of plants of ‘Billabong Mardi         Gras’.     -   6. Plants of the new Brachycome had longer peduncles than plants         of ‘Billabong Mardi Gras’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Brachycome plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Brachycome plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Magenta Magic’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Magenta Magic’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and summer in 15-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia and under commercial practice with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 40° C., night temperatures ranging from 6° C. to 28° C. and light levels ranging from 1,000 lux to 9,000 lux. Plants were pinched twice and were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Brachycome angustifolia ‘Magenta Magic’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Brachycome             angustifolia identified as code name OBAP176, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Brachycome             angustifolia identified as code name OB04547, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 12 to 25 days at             temperatures of 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 to 35 days at             temperatures of 15° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20 to 30             days at temperatures of 16° C. to 39° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 25 to 45             days at temperatures of 10° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Thin, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; moderately             dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, low spreading and             mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit;             freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing after pinching.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm to 25 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 25 cm to 60 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15 cm to 20 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm to 2 mm. Internode length: About 7 mm to 23 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong; brittle when bent. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 1.8 cm to 6.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 5 mm to 25 mm.         -   Shape.—If lobe, narrowly cuneate; if entire, elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire to three to four-lobed; slightly undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A to 138B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A;             venation, close to 139A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 137C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and habit.—Single composite inflorescence form             with ray and disc florets; inflorescences borne above the             foliage; freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences             developing per plant during the flowering period.         -   Fragrance.—Not detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants flower from spring through autumn             in Australia; flowering continuous during this period;             plants begin flowering about four to eight weeks after             planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two to             four weeks on the plant; inflorescences not persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 71C and 148A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 7 mm to 8 mm. Diameter:             About 2.8 cm to 3 cm. Diameter of disc: About 6 mm to 8 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity/arrangement: About 15 to 22 in one to             two whorls. Shape: Lanceolate to narrowly obovate. Apex:             Bluntly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Length:             About 1.1 cm to 1.3 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 63B. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 63C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 78B.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 78D.         -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.             Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About             4 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.             Color, immature: Close to 144C. Color, mature: Close to 9A.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: About 16 to 20             arranged in a single whorl; bracts imbricate. Length: About             2 mm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Shape: Oblong; keeled and             concave. Apex: Bluntly acute. Margin: Entire, fringed.             Texture, upper surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Between             139C and 137D. Color, lower surface: Close to 137D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.5 cm to 11 cm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 137A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Present on disc florets only.             Androecium: Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color:             Close to 155D. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther shape:             Oblong to lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 177A. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Gynoecium: Stigma shape: Bi-lobed. Style             length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 155D.         -   Seeds.—Seed set is nil to scarce on plants of the new             Brachycome. Quantity per inflorescence: None to about three.             Length: Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Brachycome have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Brachycomes. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Brachycome have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −3° C. to about 45° C. 

1. A new and distinct Brachycome plant named ‘Magenta Magic’ as illustrated and described. 